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Timothée Chalamet Shouts Out Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps During SAG Acceptance Speech

The young actor said he is in pursuit of greatness.

Brigid Kennedy

Timothee Chalamet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 23, 2025.
Timothee Chalamet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 23, 2025. / Netflix / Twitter / Screensho

Timothée Chalamet won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, and in his acceptance speech shouted out Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and basketball legend Michael Jordan.

Chalamet, honored for his role in the Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown," began by admitting he should likely downplay what the award means to him and the effort it took, but he'd be lying if he did that. In actuality, he poured five and a half years into this project, and it was all in the pursuit of a greater legacy that matches that of other larger-than-life figures both inside and outside the industry.

"I know we're in a subjective business, but the truth is I'm really in pursuit of greatness," the actor said. "I know people don't usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats. I'm inspired by the greats. I'm inspired by the greats here tonight. I'm as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps, and I want to be up there.

"So I'm deeply grateful to that. This does not signify that, but it's a little more fuel, it's a little more ammo to keep going. Thank you so much."

Watch his full speech below:

That the 29-year-old actor would invoke such iconic athletes is not strange for this era of his, seeing as part of his A Complete Unknown press tour involved an appearance on College GameDay. But if anything, Sunday's call-out just goes to show that the most lauded figures of the sports world transcend their games to offer motivation to people from all walks of life—even Hollywood darlings.

Chalamet is now the youngest Best Actor winner in SAG history.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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